UFN 18: Kampmann edges Condit in split decision, Bader stays unbeaten

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Heading into the main event of “UFC Fight Night 18: Condit vs. Kampmann,” most MMA observers felt finding an edge between the “Hitman” and the “Natural Born Killer” was a difficult task.

After 15 minutes of a predictably exciting bout there was still little between Danish striker Martin Kampmann (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and former WEC champion Carlos Condit (22-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC). Forced to make a call, two of the three judges awarded Kampmann a razor-thin split decision.

UFC Fight Night 18 took place Wednesday night at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn. The night’s main card aired live on Spike TV.

The main event’s action started quickly, with Condit scrambling to lock in an early guillotine choke attempt. Kampmann freed himself from the hold and answered with a heel hook attempt of his own. Condit refused to panic, and opened up a gash on Kampmann’s cheek after working free from the hold.

The two traded on the feet for a spell, and Kampmann locked in a deep guillotine attempt as time expired in the opening frame.

The second round saw more of the same: Condit looking to score from distance on the feet, while Kampmann answering from inside. Kampmann again secured a guillotine attempt, but Condit deftly escaped and worked to a rear-naked choke attempt of his own. Kampmann showed his continually improving ground game, working free of the attempt and delivering a few blows from top position as time expired.

The third frame held the result of the bout in the balance. An inadvertent eye poke from Condit caused a brief halt, but Kampmann recovered with style. Kampmann worked gracefully from within Condit’s guard to deliver a bit of offense from the top, avoiding the submission attempts that continued to come from the lanky former WEC champion.

The fatigued fighters battled to the final bell, and exchanged mutual appreciation for the other’s efforts at the close of the bout. The bout proved tough to score, but Kampmann did enough to earn the split decision.

Following the win in his second fight at 170 pounds, Kampmann admitted Condit was a tough foe.

“I thought I had him, but Carlos is really tough – really tough, man,” Kampmann said. “That was a war.”
Kampmann also admitted he was unsure of the ultimate result until the score was announced.

“That was a great fight,” Kampmann said. “[Condit] is a true warrior. It could have gone either way.”

Kampmann is now 2-0 since dropping to the welterweight division after a 4-1 run in the UFC’s middleweight division. In his UFC debut, Condit tastes defeat for the first time since June 2006 – a span of nine fights.

In his first fight since earning the title of “The Ultimate Fighter 8″ winner, Ryan Bader (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) looked every bit of the dominant wrestler he’s been billed to be. Opponent Carmelo Marrero (10-3 MMA, 1-3 UFC) grew visibly frustrated from the onslaught of takedowns and dominance from top position.

Bader worked in an effort to sink in an arm bar and a few arm triangle choke attempts. None could be secured, but the relentless offense from Bader lasted the full 15 minute. The crowd booed in spurts, but the dominance for Bader was undeniable.

Despite the impressive performance, Bader labeled his performance “so-so” in his post-fight interview.

“I felt like I fought not up to my potential,” Bader said. “But I’m young. I’ve got a long career here.”

Bader explained he was looking to develop a smoother jiu-jitsu game while continuing to refine his striking abilities.

“I’m just looking to transition a little better and work on the stand-up a lot,” Bader said.

Bader remains undefeated through the first nine bouts of his two-year-old career, while the loss is Marrero’s first in his past five official bouts. Marrero is now 9-0 outside the UFC, but just 1-3 in the octagon.

Never one to put on a dull fight, lightweight Tyson Griffin (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) made his case for an unprecedented fifth “Fight of the Night” award in a highly entertaining scrap with Rafael dos Anjos (11-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC). A victim of a stunning knockout to Jeremy Stephens in his most recent appearance, dos Anjos did his best to oblige.

Battling it out for 15 minutes in every inch of the cage and every phase of the game, Griffin and dos Anjos kept the crowd entertained for the entirety of their contest. An awkward leg compression by dos Anjos nearly ended the fight in the first round, and an arm bar in the second nearly did the trick for the Brazilian as well. But Griffin battled out of the hold each time, and came back to deliver offense of his own on the feet.

Despite being at a reach disadvantage, Griffin pushed to find angles and openings with flurries of punches and kicks. The action continued for the full time of the fight, and all three judges scored the bout a perhaps surprising clean sweep for the Xtreme Couture fighter.

Following the bout, Griffin said he was actually very familiar with the odd leg lock that stretched his frame in the opening minutes.

“It definitely stretched my muscles and all that,” Griffin said. “It definitely slowed me down for a few seconds after I got up. Fortunately I’ve been put in that move a few times.”

The top-ranked lightweight and accomplished wrestler also said he attacked from his feet based on his pre-fight strategy.

“I want to beat my opponents where they’re the weakest,” Griffin said. “I thought his strength was on the ground, so I wanted to keep the fight standing.”

Grifin bounces back from an October 2008 loss to Sean Sherk to post his fifth win in his past six UFC bouts. After winning nine-straight contests before entering the UFC, dos Anjos has now lost two-straight contests in the octagon – though neither performance should earn the Brazilian much criticism.

The evening’s broadcast opened with an bout full of real emotion, as lightweights Cole Miller (15-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and Junie Browning (3-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) had openly expressed their lack of respect for each other’s skills in the week’s leading up to Wednesday’s bout. The fight ended with unquestioned certainty, but the bad blood didn’t appear to subside.

Lauded for his jiu-jitsu skills, it was Miller who found himself in early trouble as Browning moved to the back of “Magrino” in a scramble. Miller remained calm, and elbowed his way out of the position as Browning released his body triangle.

Back on the feet, Miller timed a Browning shot perfectly, securing a guillotine on the way down to the floor. Miller squeezed the hold tightly as he dropped to full guard, and Browning tapped at 1:58 of the opening frame.

Miller had a few choice words for Browning as he walked away from his submitted foe, and the American Top Team product recounted the statement in his post-fight interview.

“Who’s overrated now?” Miller asked.

Miller went on to explain his edge in cage time was a contributing factor to the decision.

“I just knew as soon as he felt my power he was going to try and take me down,” Miller said. “That’s just the inexperience factor.”

Miller has now won six of his past seven contests, while Browning loses for the first time in four professional contests.